City comparison
Tuscaloosa, AL vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 16.9% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $116,900 in Worcester, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,599 a month in Worcester, MA versus $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.1% moving from Tuscaloosa, AL to Worcester, MA ($107,510 → $120,548), while prices change by +16.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.1% in real buying power.
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
- Worcester, MA: price level 102.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Tuscaloosa, AL | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 87.7 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,873 in Worcester | $85,563 in Tuscaloosa |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $972/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Tuscaloosa, AL and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Tuscaloosa | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.2 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 87.7 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Tuscaloosa, AL → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$45/yr.
36 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$45/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Tuscaloosa, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Tuscaloosa, AL to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Tuscaloosa, AL | Worcester, MA | Real change, Tuscaloosa → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $69,905 | −4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $84,579 | −4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $101,375 | −4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $120,548 | −4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $142,452 | −4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Tuscaloosa, AL | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Tuscaloosa dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,220 | $82,810 | $70,855 (+17.7%) |
| Software Developers | $104,870 | $146,950 | $125,735 (+19.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,690 | $94,070 | $80,489 (+12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $75,250 | $100,240 | $85,769 (+14.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.